JONATHAN PRYCE,
POPE FRANCIS IN “THE TWO POPES”
What was different about this role?
This feels like a celebration of a man I greatly admire. I’m not particularly religious; this was the first priest I felt like was speaking to me, as a non-Catholic, and speaking to the rest of the world about issues we should all be involved in politically and practically and doing something about. The climate crisis, the refugee crisis, the economy, inequality in society. So I felt a great deal of empathy toward him. To play him is a privilege, more than anything. We don’t shy away from the fact that he was a divisive figure in Argentina and is still seen by many as a divisive figure. He’s a complex and a multilayered man and that makes for a complex and multilayered characterization.
Who was the first to call you?
I think the first phone call I got was from one of my sons, who was thrilled. I was in an odd state of kind of laughing-crying. I hadn’t expected any kind of emotional reaction because I’m quite cool about all of these awards things, normally a bit cynical about it all. Earlier that morning I had been talking to my son about the betting odds and he said he was sorry he hadn’t put a bet on me. I said, ‘What are [the odds]?’ He said, ‘You don’t want to know,’ because they weren’t good. [laughs] I should have put a bet on it, though. My biggest regret.
Whom must you thank?
Fernando Meirelles, definitely. He was absolutely the right person to make this film. And Anthony Hopkins. We had a great working relationship and became friends. What you see on the screen was mirrored off screen. Tony and I have yet to tango, but maybe on the night of the ceremony.